


A Day in the Life

by Aufkurs



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 05:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11029647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aufkurs/pseuds/Aufkurs
Summary: Post chapter 201. Mo Guan Shan meets up with He Tian, as instructed.





	A Day in the Life

**Author's Note:**

> I just want them to get along, ok?! Jesus.

They took his father away in the summer, when he was twelve.

He knew then that his childhood was over in the summer, when he was twelve. 

It was sudden, oh so very sudden, but he was nothing if not tenacious. His mother, bless her, kept that soft smile on her face, never letting it slip. He was lucky that he ended up taking after her so much, from the firey red hair to the stubborn resolve. He was able to keep moving, keep breathing, keep meeting new people. He met new people that saved him, kept him from destroying his life. 

Even if one of those people turned his world upside down, made him feel like a fish out of water, an alien dropped on a planet completely unfamiliar. 

_"...wear this, and find me."_

The words rattled in his head, over and over, successfully chasing sleep away from Mo Guan Shan for the better part of the night. He scowled at the ceiling, taking his frustration out on the bland gray plaster above. 

He hadn't put the earring back in yet, though he did retrieve it from the patio before climbing into bed. He had it clutched in his hand, a heavy reminder resting against his palm. He Tian had a way of worming under his skin, unsettling him entirely in a way he wasn't used to at all. 

...No, that wasn't true. He was used to part of it. Part of the magnetism that drew him to He Tian. He'd felt it once before, when he was younger and before his father had been imprisoned. It was a budding attraction to a next door neighbor, but he'd buried those... abnormal thoughts deep inside and hadn't unearthed them since. He had hoped it was a passing thing, part of growing up and finding yourself suddenly aware of a world beyond playtime at recess. 

He Tian had shown up in his life, without warning, tearing all his misconceptions asunder much akin to a tactless, long limbed hurricane. Those thoughts were unearthed gracelessly, brutally. He wasn't yet ready to confront that part of himself, but deep down he knew he'd never be given time to be completely ready. 

Guan Shan sighed, feeling his eyelids begin to grow heavy. The digital clock in front of him was the only thing providing light in the room, but he didn't want to know what the time was, so he pointedly didn't look at it. Rolling onto his side, he placed the earring gently on top of the books stacked on his nightstand. He stared at it for a short time before he eventually curled in on himself and drifted off to sleep. 

  


The next morning was Saturday, the fateful day. Guan Shan had made it through school strictly on autopilot, not absorbing any of the lessons, too sleep deprived to really respond to anyone trying to make conversation. Jian Yi had drifted toward him during lunch period, but Guan Shan barely heard him before the poor blonde flitted away, clearly distracted as ever. 

Time moved rather quickly, and next thing he knew, classes were over and he was walking out of the school. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his white track jacket, right hand fidgeting with the earring stashed away, rolling the bead between his thumb and forefinger. Part of him hoped He Tian would forget, or perhaps he'd be too busy talking to his fanclub of girls, and Guan Shan would be able to slip away unnoticed. 

Another part of him knew that He Tian would never allow that to happen. 

As he approached the basketball court, Guan Shan glanced over the few guys playing a game before his eyes eventually caught sight of him. Long, languid, comfortable and exhibiting confidence in his own self through every little action. He Tian was leaning on the back a bench nearby the court, watching. A cigarette dangled from one of his hands as his gray eyes followed the players back and forth. 

Clearing his throat and steeling his resolve, Guan Shan hurried his pace until he was beside the other boy. He Tian's eyes snapped away from the players abruptly, turning his full focus toward the shorter redhead. 

"Ah, Don't Close Mountain! You listened for once. I guess you're not a lost cause after all." 

He couldn't even offer a greeting without being snide. Mo Guan Shan felt his eye twitch and his brows furrow into a knot. "Not entirely. Here." 

He reached his right hand out to He Tian suddenly, fist clenched. He Tian didn't move, simply stared at his fist, before looking down at his face, then the fist again. "A present?" He Tian asked, sounding amused, opening his palm beneath Guan Shan's fist. 

"No. I'm returning yours. I'll put up with your charades but I won't have you decorating me however you see fit." Guan Shan scowled, opening his fist and letting the earring fall into He Tian's large, pale hand. 

He Tian made a strange expression at first, one that was more blank and open than the usual cheshire cat mask that Guan Shan had grown used to seeing. It lasted only a moment before the grin returned once more. "This is a first for me," He Tian hummed, pocketing the earring and taking a drag off his cigarette. His eyes shifted away from Guan Shan, turning his head back to the game. "That's fine, though. My plan was to convince you to wear it forever by the end of today anyway." 

Guan Shan swallowed involuntary, feeling a soft heat begin to rise in his cheeks. He hated this; when his frustration grew unbearable, adrenaline caused him to lose control of his facade, making him appear so weak. "And how the hell do you think you'll do that?" he managed to get out, staring holes into the side of He Tian's head. 

The other boy had the nerve to turn back at him with that truly devilish look that he'd mastered so well, the one that made him look like prince charming to all the teachers when Guan Shan knew damn well he was nothing of the sort. "Oh, you know, woo you until you can't possibly think to say no to me." He Tian exhaled smoke into Guan Shan's face, causing the redhead to sputter and take a few steps back. He Tian caught him by the wrist before he could get away any further. His grip was sharp and unrelenting, too strong for someone their age. "Too late, you already came here. You signed up for this." 

Why did he have to behave like this? "What--what's the matter with you?!" Guan Shan coughed into his sleeve, tears beginning to prick at his eyes. "Were you raised by wolves?" 

"I'm afraid not, as wolves tend to at least show a small amount of affection to their own young," He Tian said whimsically. He let go of Guan Shan's wrist suddenly, opting instead to drape his arm across the other boy's shoulders and bring him closer to himself. "Hush, now, and follow me." 

Not entirely sure why, Guan Shan allowed He Tian to lead them away from the court. "Just know I don't wanna do whatever you're frigging planning on doing," he grumbled, not wanting to admit the weight of He Tian on his side was more comfortable than it should be. All He Tian did was laugh and lean his head against the top of the redhead's spiky hair. 

  


They ended up arriving at the movie theater. Guan Shan hadn't brought more than pocket change with him, but He Tian shoved his hand away when he'd offered to pay for his ticket. "Please, let me," he said with that too charming smile again. 

"I refuse to take handouts," Guan Shan argued quietly, his hands forming into fists at his side. He didn't want to make a scene in front of the cashier. 

"Don't be a dumbass," He Tian shook his head, taking a card from his wallet with the theater's logo on it. "I earned some free passes after so many purchases here." 

Raising an eyebrow, Guan Shan couldn't help but smirk. "What, you take so many of your fangirls here?" he scoffed. 

"No," He Tian gathered their tickets from the cashier. Mo Guan Shan wasn't paying attention to which title he'd picked. "I take myself." 

It wasn't often that he found himself at a loss for words, but this was one such instance. He found it hard to imagine He Tian going to the movies by himself, but he supposed there was a lot he didn't know about him. 

The movie was some horror set in space, with monstrous aliens, androids, and a lot of vague extrapolation. He Tian was enamored with it while Guan Shan picked at the too-big bucket of popcorn, half paying attention to the movie, half watching the boy beside him out of the corner of his eye. 

  


Though he wasn't sure what, exactly, he had been expecting, Guan Shan wasn't expecting He Tian to drag him to a restaurant after the movie had ended. He was kind of hoping that was the end of the odd trip, that maybe He Tian was too embarrassed to see that movie by himself. 

"Have you been to this place before?" He Tian asked him, a little friendlier than Guan Shan was used to. He heard He Tian speak this gently to Jian Yi before, but wasn't sure how to react when it was directed at him. 

Guan Shan shook his head, and He Tian smiled at him in response. When the waitress gave them their menus, Guan Shan actually laughed out loud when he read the selections. 

"You found a goddamned _sandwich_ shop?" 

  


After they'd had their fair share of sandwiches, discussing the nuances of the movie over their food, the sun had began to set as they walked down a quiet sidewalk. Guan Shan was still hesitant, not as talkative as he could have been. He was also feeling the full effect of his lack of sleep the night before, so when He Tian finally spoke up again, he was half startled by the sound. 

"Our last stop," He Tian was a few steps ahead of him, so he turned around to look at the redhead. There was a hint of a frown on his face. "I'm not boring you, am I?" 

Guan Shan found himself shaking his head once again. "No, not at all," he explained, holding up his hands in deference. "It's just getting late." 

"Hmm," He Tian's lips puckered into something like a pout, and he narrowed his eyes at Guan Shan. "You've been quiet, which, to be fair, is my fault." 

Before he could respond, He Tian turned on his heel and walked into a nearby gate, assuming Guan Shan would follow. He did. 

The gate was metal, and the surrounding area was like a wide cage fence. Even though the sun was setting and the air was beginning to chill, there were still tourists and a few families inside. Guan Shan recognized it as batting cages, though he'd never gone in it himself before. 

"I find the solitude of this more refreshing than basketball," He Tian chimed in, standing beside him. They paid and made their way to an open cage, which He Tian guided Guan Shan into with him. There was a set of helmets inside, which they both grabbed. "It's easy to ignore the people beside you, and only focus on what's in front." 

He Tian grabbed a bat propped up against the fence, tossing it to Guan Shan, who caught it with ease. He stepped closer to the shorter boy, invading his personal space and stopping right up against his back. 

Guan Shan tensed up, not knowing what He Tian had planned, how he was going to embarrass him now... but all He Tian did was grasp his wrists gently, making him grip the bat and lift it up. "Hold it like this," he explained softly, looking over Guan Shan's shoulders at his hands, seeing to it that they were positioned just so. "Don't let your grip slip, and keep your eye on the ball, nothing else. Take all your anger out with your swings." 

With that, he stepped back and into the corner, away from the bat's swing range. Guan Shan focused as the machine wound up, managing to hit the majority of the balls it fired at him. He Tian had paid for a decent amount of time, so when it finally slowed down to a stop, the sun had set fully and Guan Shan found himself suddenly cold. 

They left, as they had clearly worn out their welcome, and lingered outside on the sidewalk. He Tian hadn't played, but seemed content to watch Guan Shan. 

He really wasn't used to being treated in such a way, especially by He Tian. 

He shuffled his feet, kicking a nearby pebble off into the street. "I suppose you expect me to thank you," he mumbled, looking anywhere but at He Tian. 

Even without looking at him, he could hear the smirk in his tone. "No, I don't," he replied easily, stepping a little closer and resting his hand on Guan Shan's shoulder. He turned the shorter boy so that he was facing him, but he wasn't as rough as he had been before. 

Guan Shan looked up at him and swallowed, startled at the darkness behind He Tian's eyes. 

"Stay still," He Tian said, voice quieter than Mo Guan Shan thought possible for him. Suddenly he was leaning in close, too close. Guan Shan felt his spine grow rigid. "I had wanted to do this properly the first time, but I..." 

As his sentence drifted into silence, Guan Shan felt it was as close to an apology as He Tian could ever get. With a severe expression, He Tian took something from his pocket, and then his hands were suddenly beside his face. He heard a soft 'click' as the earring was clasped shut in his right earlobe. He Tian's fingers ghosted over his skin as he made sure it was in correctly, and Guan Shan couldn't hide his shudder in time. 

Still leaning in close, He Tian turned his gaze directly to Guan Shan's eyes. His expression was unreadable and unfamiliar, but Guan Shan wasn't surprised when he dipped his head closer and felt the taller boy's lips brush softly against his own. 

Guan Shan froze, shutting his eyes, body and minded locked in absolute fear. Not fear of He Tian - he'd never feared him, not even in the very beginning, because he knew what to expect with people like him. People who threw their weight around because they were never told not to, who never pulled their punches because they lived a life of brutal honesty. No, Mo Guan Shan was afraid only of himself, of his own actions and reactions. 

He Tian's hand cupped the back of his head, fingers raking through the soft, sheared hair. Guan Shan felt him exhale against his mouth before he pressed his lips against his with a little more fervor, a little more passion, testing for a reaction while Guan Shan was still as motionless as a statue. His lips were surprisingly soft, and dry, but warm. 

Something finally cracked within him, finally _shifted,_ finally moved by this unexpected gentleness. He finally allowed himself to recognize what he was feeling, what he wanted. Guan Shan lifted both his hands to He Tian's face and gripped him fiercely, cupping his cheeks with his palms and meeting his kiss with startling intensity. 

After what felt like far, far too short a time, they broke apart for air, gasping in each other's breath. He Tian chuckled, tinged with exasperation, hiding his face in the crook of Guan Shan's neck. The redhead could feel him smile against his skin, and he knew if he could actually see it, it would be the first time he'd witnessed a true, genuine smile from He Tian.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies if I'm rusty, I haven't written a damn thing for upwards of 7 years.


End file.
